The Markbass SD800 amp head is perfect for the times when you need speed and clarity at high volumes, especially in big-stage applications. This digital power amp delivers 750W of power into a 4 ohm cab or 450W into an 8 ohm cab. Recommended for use with big cabinets (8X10, 6X10, or 2X15), or two-cabinet rigs, this little solid-state head gives you plenty of headroom and has several options for protecting and shaping your sound, from its VLE (Vintage Loudspeaker Emulator) and VPF (Variable Pre-shape Filter) options to the Pre/Post EQ setting which allows you to choose whether your line out signal is affected by the amp's EQ. The SD800 Head has an input jack that can be used with either active or passive basses as well as dual Neutrik Speakon Combo jacks so you can connect to one or two speaker cabs using 1/4" speaker cables or Speakon cables.

The SD800 is a powerful amp with plenty of headroom and lots of tone-shaping control. I especially like the variable mid controls and I love the VLE and VPF. The majority of the time I leave the amp set pretty much flat; much of the tone shaping can be done with the VPF which increases highs &amp; lows as you turn it up - kind of a mid scoop control, but the mids stay punchy. The VLE decreases highs as it's turned up, which can be useful if your using a cab with a horn. I use Gibson and Fender basses (all with Aguilar OBP-3s) through a Boss GT-6B to the fronts &amp; the Markbass. I can easily get the tone I like onstage by tweaking the mid controls, and cranking the VPF, without effecting the FOH sound. (This head also sounds great without using the GT-6B as a preamp.)

I've heard Markbass amps described as "mud-bass" by some. That opinion must come from someone that just doesn't know how to adjust a preamp - period. This head is very controllable and will give you just about any sound you're looking for. Depending on stage size and the venue, I use this amp with 3 different cabs: a Carvin 2X10, Ampeg 4X10 Pro series, and an Ampeg 1X15 Pro Series, combining 2 of them for larger shows. Now these are all good sounding cabs, but require different tone shaping; the SD800 sounds great pushing any of them.

I've been playing for over 40 years, and I've had a lot of very good amps. The "perfect sound" is a subjective thing so maybe this isn't the amp for you. I like a semi-scooped mid tone: deep, clear, and articulate; I want the mids to punch without sounding honky, and I want crisp clean highs - this amp gives me all of that. I've had the head for a couple of years now. I use it for rehearsal and gigs, so it runs three or four nights a week; there have been no problems. Another increasingly rare thing - it's made in Italy - not China.

Overall: Great sound, powerful, excellent tone shaping, dependable, and very easy to carry.

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